Waiting on Wednesday, #25

Waiting on Wednsday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. WOW spotlights upcoming releases that you are dying to read and can't wait to get your hands on!

Note: All my links go to Goodreads, the author's website, and the publisher's website.

Balthazar, by Claudia Gray

(Extra for Evernight series.)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: March 6, 2012

Pre-Order: Amazon

Haunted by memories from his first days as a vampire, Balthazar has spent hundreds of years alone—without allies, without love. When he emerges from his isolation to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, Balthazar has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Having learned of Skye’s powers and the remarkable effect her blood has on vampires, he plans to use her for his own evil purposes. As they stand together to fight the evil vampire, Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by Skye...just as Redgrave realizes that he can destroy Balthazar once and for all by taking her for his own. 
In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.

 I still haven't finished the Evernight series yet, I've only read the first two, but I do plan on re-reading the first two and continuing the series. I am very excited for this because I love Balthazar. =) So I can't wait to read more about him. 

Fateful, by Claudia Gray

Fateful, by Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 13, 2011
Hardcover: 328 pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Buy: Amazon
Source: Library
Challenge: TBR Pile, Book Blogger Recommendation, ABC
Rating: 
To learn more about my rating badges, click here!

Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It’s 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they’re sailing on—the RMS Titanic—reaches its destination, Tess plans to strike out and create a new life for herself.Her single-minded focus shatters when she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets of his own. He’s in a hurry to leave Europe, and whispers aboard the ship say it’s because of the tragic end of his last affair with the French actress who died so gruesomely and so mysteriously. . . .Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves exist and are stalking him—and now her, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

I love Claudia Gray and I love the Titanic. The Titanic is one of my favorite movies. So when I saw that Gray was releasing a new book involving the Titanic AND werewolves, which is one of my top most favorite paranormal creatures, I knew I had to read it. Claudia Gray is already on my list of authors to watch, even though I still haven’t finished the Evernight series.

Fateful was amazing. The first time I tried to read it was the end of December and I was in a reading slump, I only read a few pages and couldn’t get into it. But when I picked it up this time I was sucked in. I read it pretty quickly.

The writing sucked me in and the descriptions were amazing. I definitely felt like I was in Tess’s shoes as a servant to a rich family back in the early 1900’s.

There were also a lot of similarities with the Titanic movie, but just the right amount. It felt like the whole Titanic atmosphere you get when you watch the movie. Add in the werewolves and its extra awesome.

I loved Tess, she was a great main character. Nothing that I can remember really bothered me about her which is good. The only people I really had problems with was Lady Regina’s family. Which I’m pretty sure most people have issues with. It’s supposed to be that way.

I also really loved Myriam and, of course, Alec. *swoon* Why didn’t I read this last year? I wanted to so bad. Stupid TBR lists! I could have known about Alex a lot sooner if it weren’t for it.

Just like the Titanic movie, this book made me cry. When the ship sunk, all the chaos, it made me cry so hard. My husband was staring at me all crazy.

Overall, I loved this book. I loved it so much that I really wish there were a sequel, but there most likely won’t be. But I’ll be hoping! Also, I think I want to start a petition to get this at least considered to be made into a movie! If you love the Titanic, and you love werewolves; I would definitely recommend it to you. Even if you just love the Titanic. This is definitely a fresh new take on it. 

Old Review: Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Stargazer by Claudia Gray

Evernight, book #2

Next book in series: Hourglass
Publisher: Harperteen
Hardcover: 329 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult (12+)
Buy: Amazon
Source: Own
Date Read: Unknown
Overall: 

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous students of all—vampires. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them.
But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revealed, forcing him to flee the school.
Although they may be separated, Bianca and Lucas will not give each other up. She will risk anything for the chance to see him again, even if it means coming face-to-face with the vampire hunters of Black Cross—or deceiving the powerful vampires of Evernight. Bianca's secrets will force her to live a life of lies.
Yet Bianca isn't the only one keeping secrets. When Evernight is attacked by an evil force that seems to target her, she discovers the truth she thought she knew is only the beginning....(Summary from Goodreads.)

First Lines: Frost began to creep up the walls.
Transfixed, I watched lines of frost lace their way across the stone of the north tower's records room. The pattern swept up from the floor, covering the wall, even icing the ceiling with something flaky and white. A few small, silvery crystals of snow hung in the air.

Stargazer was really pretty good, though it wasn't as good as Evernight. It just missed a lot of the amazing elements that Evernight had. 

The plot becomes even more complicated in Stargazer, which isn't completely bad. Everything just starts happening really fast and Bianca and Lucas are thrown into a very bad situation. The world is definitely throwing obstacles their way. 

You really learn more about some of the characters in this series and they become a lot more real than they were in the first book. The characters are very easy to get attached to. I kept bouncing back in forth between Bianca's two love interests, not going to name their names, but finally decided to pick Lucas (Sorry B!). I guess it's just because Lucas' and Bianca's story is just so amazing! 

One really awesome thing about Stargazer is that it had my head completely spinning with all the twists in this book! I never knew what was going to happen until it slammed me in the face! 

Overall, it was a great addition to the first book in the series. It didn't top my love for Evernight, but it was really good. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I can't wait to read Hourglass! 

Cover: 
I really like this cover. Purple is one of my favorite colors! :) 
I recommend this to: All lovers of the awesome vampire lore. You don't want to miss this one!

Old Review: Evernight by Claudia Gray

Evernight by Claudia Gray


Publisher: Evernight, book #1
Next book in series: Stargazer
Publisher: Harperteen
Release Date: February 10, 2009
Hardcover: 336 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult
Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads

Source: Own
Challenge: none
Date read: January 2009
Overall: 5/5

Bianca wants to escape.
At the eerily Gothic Evernight Academy, the other students are sleek, smart, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn't fit in.
When she meets handsome, brooding Lucas, he warns her to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him. But the connection between them can't be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she's ever believed.

First Paragraph: The burning arrow thudded into the wall.

Fire. The old, dry wood of the meetinghouse ignited in an instant. Dark, oily smoke filled the air, scratching my lungs and making me choke. Around me, my new friends cried out in shock before grabbing weapons, preparing to fight for their lives.

Evernight is amazing and has definitely made it to one of my favorite books at the moment. I couldn't put it down at all. Every time I did it kept calling to me to pick it back up. It seriously became a drug.


Evernight is so filled with emotion and reality, even though it has fantasy throughout the whole book. The characters are so real. Bianca and Lucas's love for each other is so moving and heartbreaking. I can't tell you how many times I cried throughout this book.


Something in Evernight, which I'm not going to tell what because it's a major spoiler, completely made me drop my book. Seriously. It caught me off guard and I just dropped the book. It took me a few seconds to pick it back up and continue on.


Evernight is filled with so many things; unconditional love, suspense, great characters, original and intriguing storyline. It's just... wow. 

I hate myself for taking so long to read this. I had it on my shelf for a while!


I recommend this to anyone who is a big fan of vampire lore and would love to read a new and refreshing vampire story.

Cover:  The cover is very pretty. Not one of my absolute favorites, but it is pretty unique and pretty. Cover art by Karen Pearson; MergeLeft Reps, inc. Hand lettering by Sarah Jane Coleman, cover design by Christopher Stengel.